Austria—A Solid Team
with a Star Player

It was a day of joy when Austria qualified for the world finals for the first time in nearly 23 years. Now Austria is the only nation of German cultural background that is here in Canada playing for the FIFA U-20 World Cup of Football. Germany and Austria did not quality themselves. The Austrians will have begun their pursuit of the FIFA U-20 World Cup trophy having played their first game in Edmonton on Saturday June 30^th against Chile. They are aiming to prove that their diverse range of youth talent programs, including the Challenge Project and a system of close co-operation between coaches, regional associations and clubs, has begun to bear fruit. The Austrians last appeared at the FIFA World Youth Championship back in 1983, where they endured a disappointing group campaign in Mexico with defeats to Argentina, Czechoslovakia and China.

Austria made the decisive step in qualifying for the FIFA U-20 World Youth tournament here in Canada by winning their last match in the U-19 European Championships in Poland by a score of 4-1 over Belgium. This secured the runners up spot in their group. Along the way they lost 5-0 to the eventual winners of the qualifying tournament, Spain, winning 1-0 over Poland and losing 3-1 to the Czech Republic. The Austrian team appears as a solid and capable group with winger Erwin Hoffer, a real star in the making.

Erwin Hoffer is widely held to be one of the most talented and potent strikers in the country. The 19-year-old, who switched to Rapid Vienna from Admira Wacker in 2006, scored four goals in three group matches in Poland, only to miss the semi-final against Spain after collecting two yellow cards. Most observers expect him to step up to the U-21 national side very soon. The 2007 finals in Canada offers him a chance to measure his talent against similarly gifted strikers of the same age.

The Coach Paul Gludovatz has been part of the furniture in the Austrian coaching scene for more than 25 years. The UEFA U-19 European Championship in Poland was his 13th tour of duty with an Austrian youth side at a European finals, and the 60-year-old has already enjoyed a taste of the rarefied finals air after coaching the ÖFB side at the FIFA U-17 World Championship Egypt 1997. Nevertheless, the tournament in Poland had special significance for Gludovatz, as he led the same generation to fifth at the U-17 European Championship two years earlier. No previous Austrian age group had managed to qualify for two European Championship finals in succession.

Gludovatz, whose playing career included a spell in the second division, took charge of the current side in early 2003. "Belief is the key to success," the wily coach insists. He led a U-16 side to the UEFA European Championship semi-finals in 1994 before guiding a succession of junior teams up through the ranks. The 2007 finals promise to be a genuine highlight of his long coaching career.

What they said...

"Our target was always to qualify for the 2007 U-20 World Cup. But we're not going there just to take part; we want to leave behind a positive impression, just as we did in Poland during the qualifying tournament." (Paul Gludovatz, coach)

Austria is called a dark horse, but as we know in Football anything and anyone can win a match. Momentum is on Austria’s side having done well in many games in the run up that they were not expected to. They are a team with solid goaltending and a well-organized defense, with star Erwin Hoffer to provide timely goals.

On June 30^th, Austria played Chile in Edmonton and on July the 5^th Canada meets Austria also in Edmonton. "German" Torontonians will watch the game at the Delta Chelsea Inn and we are assured that the totally pre-sold event is a smash success not just in Canada.

The FIFA U-20 World Cup tournament continues in Edmonton, Victoria, Burnaby, Montreal Ottawa and Toronto from 30 June to 22 July 2007.